Pinot On The River…And My Life As A Non-Smoker

Posted by Tom Wark on Oct 18, 2010

Pinot On The River, the great Pinot-centric even that takes place in the Russian River Valley next weekend, holds great importance for me.

Almost exactly one year ago I attended the 2009 Pinot On the Rivers Sunday Tasting at Rodney Strong Vineyards on the same day I decided to quit smoking. The array of Pinots at the tasting was so compelling it helped me forget the withdrawals I was having, for at least a time, and put me on the road to a life without cigarettes. I'll be going again this year, free of withdrawals, free of cigarettes, free of smoker's breath and ready to taste with a clean palate.

The Sunday Tasting, featuring more than 100 wineries, is truly a great way to access hundreds of Pinots you may have never tasted or even heard of. It takes place on the lawn at Rodney Strong Vineyards again this year and it costs $85. I recommend it highly.

Among the wineries that have confirmed to pour at the tasting this year are:

Alfaro Family Vineyards
Alma Rosa Winery
Alysian
Ancien Wines
Arista Winery
Artesa Winery
Athair Winery
Aubin Cellars
August West
Auteur
Belle Glos
Benovia Winery
Benziger Family Winery
Breggo Cellars
Buena Vista Carneros
C. Donatiello Winery
Calicaro
Capiaux Cellars
Cartograph
Cima Collina
Claypool Cellars
Clouds Rest Vineyard
Couloir Wines
David Bruce Winery
Davis Bynum
De Loach Vineyards
Demuth Winery
DuNah Winery
Dunstan Wines
Eric Kent Wine Cellars
Etude Wines
Expression Wines
Failla
Fort Ross Vineyard
Foursight
Freeman Vineyard & Winery
Freestone Vineyards
Fulcrum Wines
Gary Farrell Vineyards & Winery
George Wine Company
Gloria Ferrer Caves & Vineyards
Gracianna
Gundlach Bundschu Winery
Hahn Family Wines
Halleck Vineyard
Heart O' The Mountain
Hop Kiln Winery – HKG
J Vineyards & Winery
Kanzler Vineyards
Keefer Ranch Wines
Ketcham Estate
Kokomo Winery
Kosta Browne Wines
La Follette Wines
La Rochelle Winery
Laetitia Vineyard &Winery
Landmark Vineyards
Landy Family Vineyards
Littorai Wines
MacPhail
MacRostie
Mahoney Vineyards
Mark West
Matrix Winery
McIntyre Vineyards
Meiomi Wines
Merry Edwards Winery
Morgan Winery
Moshin Vineyard
Mueller Winery
Nalle Winery
Nicholson Ranch Winery
Orsi Papale Estate Wines
Pali Wine Company
Papapietro Perry Winery
Patz & Hall Wine Co.
Pfendler Vineyards
Pillow Rd. Vineyard
Roadhouse Winery
Roar Wines
Rodney Strong Vineyards
Roessler Cellars
Romililly Wines
Russian Hill Estate
Sequana Vineyards
Sierra Madre Vineyard
Small Vines Wines
Sojourn Cellars
Talisman Wines
Terlato Vineyards
Taz
Trecini
The Donum Estate
The Line Wines
Three Sticks
Topel
TR Elliott
Vergari Wines
WesMar Winery
Willowbrook Cellars
Wrath

Forgive me for not linking all the wineries in this post. The event would be over before I'm done.

Come out and look for me at the tasting. I'll be the one not smoking!

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